Lille Raipas is a well-known fell in Alta, Norway. It is part of the Struve Geodetic Arc and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lille Raipas is a fast route, and the summit offers spectacular views of the Alta fjord.

Located in the northern latitudes, Alta is a great place to admire the midnight sun in summer hikes. The most famous attraction in the Alta region is probably the Alta Canyon.

Lille Raipas

Lille Raipas (286 m) is an elongated ridge which, according to several sources, is a fell, although in many places it is referred to as the Raipas Mountains. Lille Raipas (Unnas Ráipásas in Sami) is located south-east of the town of Alta, around ten kilometres by road from the centre.

Lille Raipas belongs to the Struve Geodetic Arc. The Struve Geodetic Arc is a chain of survey triangulations from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea, built in the early 19th century. The summit of Lille Raipas is one of Struve's meridian points.

The purpose of F. G. W. Struve's measurements was to determine the exact size and shape of the Earth. Between 1816 and 1855, the project established 265 base points in the chain, which are now located in ten different countries. Of these, the 34 best preserved are listed as protected sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Raipas mountains were mined from 1826 until the early 20th century. Lille Raipas was one of the most important sites in the extensive Kåfjord mining area. The mountains were rich in ore deposits, and Raipas was soon known as one of the best copper mines in the world.

Lille Raipas is one of Alta's ten peaks, the "Alta 10-toppers", which are marked hiking trails. Some of the trails are long and demanding, unlike the short and easy route of Lille Raipas. Other top hiking trails include Skoddevarre, Haldde and Komsa/Komsatoppen.

Lille Raipas - parking & trailhead

The Lille Raipas trail is accessible from the Stranddalen road (address: Stranddalen 16). On Google Maps you can find the location as "Trailhead for Lille Raipas".

From Øvre Alta (road E45), drive over the Altaelva river to the Raipasveien road, where you turn off to Stranddalen road. From the airport, the E6 road also takes you to the Raipasveien, right next to the Altaelva river. The Stranddalen road runs through an industrial area, and at some points there is a sign warning of gravel driving.

There is a large area at the side of the road with space for perhaps ten cars. I arrived early in the morning, the car park was empty.

At the edge of the parking area there is a large map and an information board about the Struve Geodetic Arc and its history in English, German, Norwegian and Sami. A smaller information board has the highlights of the Lille Raipas excursion.

From the car park to the top is a climb of about 2.6 km (1.6 miles), with 225 m of ascent. The Norwegian time frame for the whole hike is one hour, the Finnish one is at least one and a half hours. On a hot day, it's worth taking a water bottle with you, whether you're hiking or trail running.

Lille Raipas - route

The route is marked by the most prominent wooden poles with an orange square at the end. The square reads "Struves Meridianbue Lille Raipas", with UNESCO logos below.

At 7 a.m., the sun, which has been shining all night, is already too warm, but fortunately there is forest shelter almost all the way. The initial stretch is a wide gravel road that first leads across a stream. The bridge is built over large cement pipes. Some of the water trickles down from Lake Uimajärvi.

The sand road starts to climb gently and bends left. After that, it's a couple of hundred metres of flat, straight road. Behind you, you can already see the outline of the mountains behind the trees.

The road narrows into a wide gravel path. To the left are steep forested cliffs with small natural streams flowing down them.

The path runs right along the shore of a small clear pond, which is almost overgrown. The larger pond remains under the wooded hills. A building, probably a summer cottage, peeks out from the hillside.

The graveling ends, the rocky nature trail is a pleasant jog. A muddy path hooks up right next to a small house. If there weren't the Lille Raipas signs, you'd think you were running in someone's backyard.

The path continues green and lush under a canopy of birch trees. Clovers bloom in clusters on the ground. Running seems a great idea, as the shadows of the forest are full of mosquitoes.

After a short stretch up a gentle rocky slope, you reach a flatter marshy area. However, you don't get your trail running shoes wet - first you reach duckboards and then a wide wooden path.

As you approach the summit, there is a stretch of boulders, but the path is mostly gravel. The stones are in such even piles that they look like man-made. On top of one pile of stones is a small wooden rack, perhaps once used to have an info board. Maybe the mining area is nearby?

After the piles of gravel, a nice flat section begins on the ridge. But it quickly ends in a wetland. The wet tracks of the ATV plough deep into the peat, fortunately the duckboards keep you going.

A narrow sandy path winds up the rocky slopes into the birch forest. The long rocky and forestry ridge reminds me of running on Finnish cliffs. The scenery is already starting to show.

The final ascent to the highest peak is a short rock climb. A couple of handrails have been built to help, and it's easy to get up. Finally, the treetops are below.

At the top of Lille Raipas, spectacular views await in almost every direction. The view opens up towards the Altafjorden, the town of Alta, the meandering Altaelva river and the Alta airport. The Komsatoppen with its mast is easily visible in the clear air.

A large UNESCO sign is mounted on the rock. According to the sign, the meridian point of the Struve Geodetic Arc of Lille Raipas was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 15 July 2005.

There is also a post box on the rock. Judging by the signatures, the top of Lille Raipas is visited by a steady stream of people every day. One of Alta's ten summits challenge has now been completed.

My own map shows a continuous path down to Raipatun, but I don't think that's an official Lille Raipas route. The return journey is therefore the same route as on the way up. It takes 15-20 minutes to get to the parking lot trail running.

A relaxed trail run and culture in beautiful nature, what better way to spend a July morning!

Alta

Alta (Alattio in Kven and Finnish, Áltá in Sami) is located in Finnmark County in northern Norway, on the shores of Altafjorden and at the Altaelva river.

In Alta, the nightless night in summer and the polar night in winter last for a long time: the sun doesn't go below the horizon from mid-May to the end of July, the polar night starts in late November and lasts until mid-January. The area is warmed by the Gulf Stream and, despite the northern latitudes, the climate is not particularly cold.

Alta is also home to another UNESCO's World Heritage sites. The largest rock art area in northern Europe can be found in the Alta Museum (Hjemmeluft). The most famous hiking destination is the Alta Canyon. Other popular trails include Haldde, Komsatoppen and Skoddevarre.